Hargeisa Shopping Markets

Hargeisa Shopping Markets

HARGEISA SHOPPING MARKETS  The whole of central Hargeisa functions as a gigantic, partially covered market known locally as Soukha Shiraaqle (Tented Market) in reference to the tarpaulin shelters that used to cover most of the stalls.  Unlike in most African capitals, the market sells little in the way of handicraft s or other items of specific interest to travellers. The one arguable exception is the varied and generally quite inexpensive jewellery sold at the innumerable goldsmiths and silversmiths that line the roads immediately south of the Oriental Hotel. The largest non- central market is the more sprawling and relaxed  Soukha  Gobenimo  (Noble Market) near Radio Hargeisa. There is also a small covered market called Al Madina on the airport road. 

HARGEISA SUPERMARKETS  For grocery shopping,  there is no shortage of fresh produce available in the central market area, and numerous stalls also sell fresh bread and packaged items, such as mineral water, biscuits and tinned fruit, which might be worth stocking up on if you plan a trip to more remote parts of the country. There are also several supermarkets dotted around town. The ones in the national filling station near the Shabeel Hotel and the Total filling station near the Man-soor Hotel are particularly well stocked with luxury imported goodies, from crisps and fruit juices to chocolate bars and biscuits. Also good is the more central Madiina Supermarket, the Al Rahma Shopping Centre on the Airport Road, and the Ramad Supermarket in Jijiga Yar. The Kaah Supermarket, just before the police roadblock on the Berbera Road, is a popular place to stock up on provisions before heading out to Las Geel and beyond.

HARGEISA BOOKSHOPS There are several stationery and religious bookshops dotted around town. The best secular bookshop is Hema Books (Independence  Av; M: 063 3866644; F: @hemabookstore; (07.30–noon Sat–Thu & 16.00–21.30 daily), which is mainly dedicated to school textbooks but also stocks a decent enough selection of classic and contemporary fiction,  with most titles selling at  US$5. There’s also the Red Sea Bookshop on the ground floor of the Oriental Hotel, but the English-language selection here is limited to a handful of titles about Somalia or Somaliland published by the Red Sea Press.